Um, I'll just ignore the previous debate and hopefully, we can discuss peacefully.
This is my personal ranking!
1. Sifeng
-His love for Xuanji felt really pure, He really doesn't ask for much from Xuanji. His decisions, although some were bad, ultimately stems from his desire to protect and support Xuanji. He just wants her to live in peace, to be able to accompany her if he can. To be able to love someone so much to be able to do the things he did is really amazing. He not only gave Xuanji love but also taught her love. Xuanji's heart was made of crystal and he was able to turn something like that into something of flesh, something that can return his love throughout the numerous lifetimes they went through. And he was even able to warm and make LHJD believe in his love for Xuanji, when LHJD himself had so much love for Bailin only to end up betrayed and cut to pieces.
2. Xufeng
-It has been... years since I watched the drama, also years since I've read the OG novel. But the moment that I really fell in love with is near the end when it was revealed that Jinmi was in his eye the entire time. It was really heartbreaking in both drama and novel because it gave both perspectives of the moment. In the drama, it focused on him, in the novel, it was through Jinmi's perspective. But I especially liked the novel's Xufeng because he was arrogant, prideful. And to get that arrogant Xufeng to become like that was a chef's kiss.
3. Yehua
-I read the OG novel, watched both drama and movie, but that was also years ago. I only fell in love with his character in the drama when he so desperately tried to revive Susu. The novel was mostly in Bai Qian's perspective so I never really understood Yehua--it was only towards the end that I was even given a glimpse of what this man was like. So the drama was pretty nice when adding more depth to him. Like many others, I was disappointed with his inability to protect/defend Susu before she committed suicide. But I think his regrets and grief in the drama greatly added to this very, very flawed man.
To put it simply... I just like my MLs to suffer, suffer, suffer, SUFFER. A good boy suffering? Nice! An arrogant guy suffering? Even better! A man who regrets that he can't do anything suffering? Keep it going!